NBA Playoffs 2011: Chicago Bulls Losing Game-Closing Edge to Miami Heat
After being known as one of—if not the best—fourth-quarter teams this season, the Chicago Bulls haven't been as impressive during the Eastern Conference Finals.
The Bulls carried that fourth-quarter edge into their two previous playoff series, winning nine of 11 fourth quarters in their opening-round matchups against the Indiana Pacers and Atlanta Hawks.
In the three games played so far of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Miami Heat, the Bulls are 1-2 in the fourth quarter, already matching the number of times they were outscored in their last 11 playoff games.
With all three of the Eastern Conference Finals games having a margin of less than 10 points going into the fourth quarter, the re-emergence of the killer instinct that usually helps them dominate the final 12 minutes would really benefit the Bulls during the series.
The Bulls aren't solely to blame for their fourth-quarter woes.
The Heat have been playing suffocating defense on Derrick Rose and the Bulls, forcing low-percentage shots and costly turnovers.
The Bulls should still run everything through Rose in the fourth—because he usually draws double teams—and set more pick-and-roll and pick-and-pop opportunities for Luol Deng, Carlos Boozer and Kyle Korver. It would create more open shots instead of taking it inside time after time, where the Heat have been great stopping the Bulls in the fourth.
The Heat have been the more aggressive and active team in the fourth quarter during the two straight games Chicago has lost—the first time the Bulls have suffered back-to-back losses in 3.5 months.
Chicago must find a way to be the more dominant team in the fourth quarter if they want to come out on top of this series and move on to their first NBA Finals in 13 years.
